HIS BEST ‘FRIENDS’
Matthew Perry’s top episodes with each co-star from classic NBC sitcom
COULD we be any more in our feelings? After Matthew Perry’s tragic death on Oct. 28 at 54, fans have been seeking solace in the magic he created alongside Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc and
Lisa Kudrow in NBC’s “Friends,” which ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004.
At the HBO Max reunion in 2021, it was like no time had passed between the actors, making Perry’s death just two years later heartbreaking.
Perry’s Chandler Bing proved just how well he knew his fictional pals in Season 4’s “The One With the Embryos,” but how close were they on the show? Here’s just a few moments Chandler shared with Ross, Joey, Monica, Rachel and Phoebe.
Ross Geller
Ross (Schwimmer) and Chandler being college roommates was the perfect backstory for these two. As Chandler’s longest friendship out of the group, viewers were treated to many inside jokes and a special bond that even stood up to a friendship’s biggest test: dating a sibling.
In Season 2, they’re picked on by bullies at Central Perk, who lay claim to the orange couch. One steals Chandler’s hat and Ross tries to get it back by saying, “It’s a special hat. See, he bought it because he was feeling really down one day. So, he got the hat to cheer himself up, you know?” Just a silly and sweet thing that only a very best friend would know.
In Season 5, their younger years are revisited while celebrating Thanksgiving at the Gellers — where they reveal their fake ID alter egos Clifford Alvarez and Roland Chang.
Joey Tribbiani
Monica (Cox) and Chandler might not have believed in soulmates, but Joey (LeBlanc) was definitely Chandler’s friendmate. Just like with Ross, Chandler finds closeness living with Joey. They might have met a little later than the rest of the gang, but Joey treats Chandler like family — even when Chandler treats Joey’s family like strangers in Season 3’s “The One Where Chandler Can’t Remember Which Sister.”
By Season 6, even with Chandler getting ready to move in across the hall with Monica, when Joey has a hernia — sans insurance — Chandler gives him a little extra help getting ready for work in order to get medical coverage. At one point, Chandler props Joey up on a set, with Joey saying, “Thanks again for helping me take a shower.” Chandler’s response? “Now is that never talking about it again?”
Monica Geller
Even though Monica and Chandler’s relationship got off to a rocky start (i.e., Season 5, Episode 8: “The
One With All the Thanksgivings”), by the time they’re living across the hall from each other, they seem to be on more civil ground. In Season 2, Monica’s unemployed and decides to train Chandler as her pet project. He returns the friendly favor in Season 4 by coming to Monica’s rescue after she’s stung by a jellyfish and Joey gets stage fright.
Rachel Green
Their shared love of cheesecake is only the tip of the iceberg in Rachel (Aniston) and Chandler’s story. Before Chandler steals Monica’s heart and kicks Rachel out of the purple apartment, the two of them get into shenanigans at Bloomingdale’s. After setting him up with her boss, Rachel finds Chandler handcuffed to a chair in a locked office. She then bargains with him to stay so she doesn’t lose her job. Phoebe Buffay While Phoebe (Kudrow) was always the free spirit of the group, Chandler saw her value and never tried to tame her. In the first season, Phoebe temps as Chandler’s secretary and finds out that no one likes him after he got promoted to boss.
She even does an impression of him: “Could that report be any later?” Phoebe helps him learn the lesson that his subordinates can’t be his friends.
Of all the friends, it was surprising that Chandler chose Phoebe to help pick out Monica’s engagement ring. But when shopping, she can’t help but be herself and suggest Chandler give Monica a Revolutionary War musket to seal the deal.